Parents are Key to Science Education
Jonathan Smith, Vice President of Florida Citizens for Science (of which I am a board member) presents a column on science education in Florida today in the The Ledger (Lakeland, FL):
A key quote:
Parents are the ones who must endeavor to help shape their children’s future by guiding them down the paths of interests and provide support and encouragement. It is strikingly obvious current trends have shifted in this generation towards the pursuit of science and not for the positive. “Science is for nerds” and” real cool kids don’t study” have become serious social clichés and do have a strong influence on our children.
Just so!
So parents, do you care just how well your children do in their education in general? Do you care how they do in science? Jobs are going to get fewer and fewer for people without a good education.
It isn’t just in science but in all of education. Schools have become advanced “baby-sitting” services as parents demand that schools do things that parents should be doing. And they, the parents turn around and complain how their kids aren’t achieving the desired results.